Question: What place does physical observance of the commandments occupy in spiritual work?

Answer: All the commandments are merely expressions of spiritual laws in our world. Unfortunately, their physical observance gives no result. This is confirmed by the fact that, despite two centuries of Jews observing the commandments, our condition has only worsened.

In the code of laws, the Shulchan Aruch, there are many rules that speak about love for one’s neighbor, about correct and kind relations between people. But we pass over them as if they were written for small children and not for us.

We consider, for example, that the most important thing is to perform the ritual of washing of hands. Yet this ritual speaks about cleansing our hands from egoism, from the desire to take the whole world for ourselves. The same applies to all the other commandments.

It is said that “a commandment without the correct intention is dead.” Therefore, if we observe them only in a physical form, then unfortunately, we will not obtain any positive outcome except an ever-growing egoism that increasingly divides the entire nation, including religious people.

We have come to a state where returning to the condition of connection between us becomes mandatory; without it humanity will lead itself to destruction. And if we take the books of our sages, we will see that they speak precisely about this.
[163436]
From a Public Lecture in New York, 7/20/15

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Question: How should an ordinary person who does not strive for connection with the Creator but wants to live calmly and simply on this earth relate to what brings them to prayer, to those misfortunes, to those troubles?

Answer: Naturally, a person does not want suffering or prayer or anything.

Question: And how should I relate to this? Should I run away from them, cut them off?

Answer: Of course. It is best to run away from them; that is what everyone does.

Question: Meaning, if I am not striving for anything and just want to live this life well on this earth?

Answer: In that case, “lo em ve lo s’kharam”—“no suffering and no reward.”

Question: And what is your advice to such people?

Answer: Try to live peacefully. Even lower, even quieter, even calmer. And live like that.

Question: So that the waves pass over us?

Answer: Yes. But that is fate. There are people who want this. There are people who do not agree with it. And there are people who do not agree, but after a couple of blows, they agree.

Question: So one way or another, these blows put a person in their place if they are here and want to live their life here?

Answer: It depends on the root of the soul.

Question: What is the advice for those who strive for the Creator, for connection?

Answer: For them, the most important thing is closeness to the Creator, and it does not matter what the path is, whether they receive a couple more blows along the way, or something else.

Question: So one way or another, they will and must relate to these blows as help?

Answer: Yes. If we strive to achieve connection with the Creator, then various obstacles and conditions are placed before us, and we inevitably see that we cannot fulfill these conditions in any way, only if we receive serious help from above.

Question: Meaning, if we strive for connection with the Creator, then we can be grateful for all sorts of obstacles?

Answer: Of course. The stick—yes.

Question: The stick? So, when, as you always say, “kiss the stick that beats you,” then we kiss it?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: And otherwise, we will have to…

Answer: And otherwise, we move with our egoism along such winding paths like little fish swimming.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 1/19/26

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In the article “Lishma and Lo Lishma,” Rabash wants to clarify the fundamental difference between these concepts. The difference lies in the kind of fuel that drives a person to act.

First of all, we must understand what our actions are in general, and whether we are their masters. If we act based on the desire to receive, then every time we see some pleasure, some fulfillment of desire, immediately, without any calculations, we want to obtain it. Desire precedes calculation; first the desire is created, then reason. The mind is an addition to the desire in order to achieve what is desired.

Therefore, the moment the desire to receive sees some fulfillment, it wants it, and only then does it begin to calculate how to achieve it and if it is possible, simply to fill itself. If the desire were not hindered by any limitation, it would be fulfilled, and would not require any planning or calculation.

But since there are conditions for filling oneself with pleasure, the desire to receive must undergo a process of calculation to achieve fulfillment. Then it develops a system that we call “reason,” “calculation,” “the Rosh of a Partzuf,” alongside itself. These categories arise because it is impossible to satisfy the desire to receive directly.

It turns out that, to the extent obstacles arise in fulfilling the desire for pleasure, there are more opportunities for mental development and for personal involvement of the desire in this process.

Thus, in order to give this desire independence, it is necessary to place obstacles before it 100% in every state and in various variations of its manifestation, on all paths leading to self–fulfillment.

Only these obstacles will give the desire to receive an opportunity to analyze what I want, why, how I come to fulfillment, whether it is what I want, whether it truly fulfills me, and what is preferable.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/26/26, Rabash, Article 29, “Lishma and Lo Lishma”

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Question: The fact that I am holding on to the group is not my choice. The fact that I sit here, listen, read, and discuss are also not my choice. So where then is freedom of choice?

Answer: You did not come here of your own will. Each of us now already sees that we did not appear here by chance; meaning that the Creator brought us. In general, the thought to come, listen, and sit, does not come from me. Everything happened somehow, suddenly, almost unconsciously. It is clear that for the first few months I came and sat here, operating on the fuel received from the Creator.

The efforts begin with descents. Just as the Creator gave me an impulse and brought me to this place, luring me with “candy” to make me feel as if I could sweeten my life here, so now He is taking it away. In order to remain, hold on, and strengthen even more, I need to make great efforts.

The unchangeable spiritual law says: “You have borrowed from Me, and I am collecting.” The Creator gives you strength, gives you direction, and provides an opportunity, but later you will have to pay for it.

Otherwise, it is impossible. How will I be able to rise to a higher degree if I am not familiar with it, if I do not have enough strength for it, and if I have no connection with it?

We think that in spirituality everything is like in this world: I have strength, I have desires, I can see what I am going to acquire, I make calculations, analyze, clarify, check, inquire. Not at all; everything is different in spirituality. Here, the higher degree is detached from you, not felt by you, incomprehensible to you. And even if you reveal something in it, you discover that it is absolutely opposite to you and repels you.

Thus, the law is simple: “You have borrowed from Me, and I am collecting.” That is, you are given the opportunity, everything is given to you from above, and later you will have to return it. Therefore, the efforts consist in strengthening in the direction that the Creator indicates.
[352430]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/27/26, Rabash, Article 29, “Lishma and Lo Lishma”

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